Rotary internal combustion engine



Dec. 16, 1958 D. H. BISH 2,364,348

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR DONALD H.- BIS-H.

ATTORNEY Dec. 16, 1958 D. H. BlSH 2,864,348

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR DONALD H. BISH ATTORNEY United States Patent ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Donald H. Bish, Crown Point, Ind.

Application August 1, 1956, Serial No. 601,490

1 Claim. (Cl. 123-44) This invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and it particularly relates to a rotary type of engine.

In the conventional type of internal combustion engine, the crankshaft rotates and as it rotates the pistons, which are connected thereto through offset portions, are caused to reciprocate within their respective stationary cylinders. This arrangement requires the use of counterweights to balance the pistons and their connecting-rod assemblies. Furthermore, there is a dwell in the action of the pistons twice in each revolution of the crankshaft during which no power is generated. In addition the constant reversing of the piston travel wastes a sizeable amount of energy which could otherwise be used to produce useful work. Another disadvantage of this type of engine lies in the fact that the constant reverse or reciprocating movement of the pistons in their cylinders causes an undue amount of vibration leading to rapid wear on the bearings and other parts of the engine. In order to reduce this harmful and annoying vibration, various dampening devices are necessary. These dampening means are not only expensive but require additional labor to install and maintain.- In most cases, a flywheel is necessary in order to keep the crankshaft turning at I slow speeds.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above-described disadvantages by providing an engine construction wherein the total assembly is dynamically balanced without the use of counter-weights or dampeners.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an internal combustion engine which does not require a flywheel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an internal combustion engine which can be operated at very slow speeds without danger of stalling and can be operated at very high speeds without damage to the pistons or the cylinder head.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an internal combustion engine producing a relatively greater amount of horsepower in relation to its weight.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved engine, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: a

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of an engine assembly embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the crankshaft assembly shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the cover member.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a housing or crankcase 10 having a neck portion 12 at one side thereof. Extending into this neck portion is a crank pin 14 of hollow or cylindrical construction and defining a bore 16 therein. A bushing 18 surrounds the crank pin 14 and spaces it from the internal surface of the neck portion 12.

The crank pin 14 is provided with an externallythreaded, reduced end portion 20 which defines a shoulder 22 on the external surface of the crank pin. The reduced portion 22 extends through an opening in a stationary motor-support 24, this opening being provided with a counterbore 26 having a diameter and shape co-mplementary to that of the shoulder 22. The crank pin is rigidly secured on the support 24 by passing the reduced portion 20 into the opening in the support until the shoulder 22 abuts the end wall of the counterbore 26. A nut 28 is then threaded onto the reduced portion 20 and tightened until the shoulder 22 is firmly seated in the counterbore 26. In this position, the crank pin is rigidly held in place while the crankcase 10 is rotatably positioned thereon.

The crank pin 14 is provided with an otfset stem 30 having a cap or flange 32 on the outer end thereof. Mounted on the stem 30 are three split bearings 34, 36 and 38 from each of which extends a piston rod, as at 40, 42 and 44. These piston rods extend in oppositelyinclined angles from the stern, as best seen in Fig. 1.

Each piston rod extends into a cylinder, as at 46, 48 and 50, each of these cylinders being angularly offset from each of the others. A piston is provided in each cylinder, these pistons being shown at 52, 54 and 56,

the respective rod extending up into each piston and being connected thereto by a pin, such as indicated at 58, 60 and 62. Each piston is also provided with an angular extension at its upper end, as indicated at 64, 66 and 68.

A cover 70 is releasably connected to the open side of the crankcase 10 by means of stud screws 72 extending through holes 74 in the cover and into threaded openings in an inwardly extending flange 76 framing the open side of the crankcase. A recessed shoulder 78 is formed around the inner marginal portion of the cover to interengage with flange 76. It is through this recessed marginal portion that the holes 74 extend. A solid power shaft 77 extends from the cover 70.

Each of the cylinders 46, 48 and 50 is provided with an intake port 78, 80 or 82 leading from the interior of the crankcase, and an exhaust port, as at 84, 86 or 88, leading laterally from the side of the cylinder. Radially extending cooling fins are provided on the external surface of each cylinder, as shown at 90, 92 and 94.

A sparkplug is provided at the end of each cylinder, as indicated at 96, 98 and 100, these being of the ordinary screw-in type. These sparkplugs are adapted to coact with an ignition device 102 supported on a stationary mount at the top dead-center of the assembly. Ignition wires 104 lead to the battery or other source of electrical energy.

A carburetor, not shown, is adapted to be mounted on the threaded portion 20 of the crank-pin which serves as the intake port from the carburetor. Fuel inlets of the ordinary type, not shown, are also provided.

The mounting of the crankcase on the crank-pin 14 while the piston rods are mounted on the eccentrically arranged stem 30, provides a relative reciprocation be tween the pistons and their respective cylinders as both the cylinders and pistons rotate simultaneously. This relative reciprocation is, however, continuous movement without any dwell periods or change of movement because it is actually a continuous rotation of all the parts.

In operation, when a cylinder is at position A, shown in Fig, 1, and on its way to position B, the gas mixture in the cylinder will be compressed until it reaches position B. At position B, the mixture is exploded and; the resulting pressure increase forces the piston and cylinder away from each other, thereby causing the entire unit to rotate to position C. At position C, the exhaust is expelled through the exhaust port and a fresh gas mixture is taken in through the inlet port. The rotation continues while the cylinder reaches position A again and the cycle is repeated.

In the above-described arrangement, the pistons and connecting rods rotate on a common axis and can be balanced as a unit, as is also true of the entire engine.

herefore, counter-weights, dampeners and flywheels are not required. It is also possible to operate the engine at slower speeds without danger of stalling and at higher speeds without danger of throwing a piston through the cylinder head because the crankshaft failed to reverse the direction of the piston. Furthermore, the radial design gives balance to the engine and permits the use of a smaller and lighter unit for a given power rating. The revolving cylinder means an increase in horsepower because of the continuous undirectional motion of the pistons as well as because of the reduction of weight due to the elimination of counter-weights and flywheels.

The invention has been described as applied to a twocycle gasoline engine; however, the principle may be used with four-cycle units as well as diesel engines.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

An internal combustion engine assembly comprising a fixed support, a shaft fixed to said support, and a crank case having an open end and a reduced hollow end rotatably mounted on said shaft a bushing between said reduced hollow end and said shaft, a cover removably fixed to said open end, a power shaft fixed to said cover, said support having an aligned bore and counterbore forming a shoulder and said shaft having a reduced, externally threaded end portion extending through said bore and counterbore, a shoulder formed between the reduced end portion and the other portion of said shaft, said last mentioned shoulder being positioned in said counterbore in abutting relation to the shoulder formed between said bore and counterbore, a nut threadedly engaged on said reduced end portion and clampingly abutting said support to hold said shaft rigid thereon, said crank case being rotatably positioned on said other portion of. said shaft, an axially off-set stern on said other crtion of said shaft within said housing, a plurality of cylinders, angularly offset from each other, rotatable with said crank case, a plurality of piston rods rotatably po sitioned on said stem, each piston rod being connected to a piston within a cylinder, inlet and outlet means in each cylinder said other portion of said shaft having an axial bore providing a fuel inlet, a spark plug at the end of each cylinder in communication with the interior thereof, and ignition means in the path of rotation of each spark plug to ignite compressed gasses within said cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,064,522 Muflly June 10, 1913 1,088,017 Frederickson Feb. 24, 1914 1,147,540 Ortholan July 20, 1915 1,170,783 Stedman Feb. 8, 1916 2,103,787 McCrary Dec. 28, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 204,914 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1923 712,356 France July 20, 1931 

